For the Love of the Game
by ct522
Summary: Peeta Mellark bet on Panem United - and Katniss Everdeen - four years ago and lost. This time around he's betting to win. Written for Write-Me-a-Story Hunger Games Challenge. Runner up for Judge's Best Pick.


**For the Love of the Game**

_**Peeta Mellark bet on Panem United - and Katniss Everdeen - four years ago and lost. This time around he's betting to win.**_

_**Written for Write-Me-a-Story Hunger Games Challenge**_

_**Runner up for Judge's Best Pick**_

"Okay, man, no. You can't put your boots on my couch." Peeta pushed Gale's legs off the arm of his brand new leather sofa.

"I'm trying to get comfortable here! When'd you get so fussy?" he groused, kicking off his boots and tossing them into the hallway.

Peeta shook his head as he picked up his friend's shoes and put them neatly on the shoe rack. Gale had been a slob ever since they were in elementary school and he wasn't showing signs of changing anytime soon.

"I'm just trying to keep the place looking decent before people come to watch the game," Peeta explain in exasperation as he straightened the lazy susan in the center of the coffee table for the twentieth time.

"Yeah, before Katniss comes, you mean? You don't give a flying fuck about anyone else," he said as he grabbed the remote and searched through the channels on Peeta's giant flat-screened tv. "What channel is ESPN anyway?"

"Same as at your house, dummy," answered Madge as she came in from the kitchen. "Channel 20." She set the dip on the dining room table, next to the sammies and fruit spears. There was also a place for the stuffed potato skins and cheese buns, which Peeta would remove from the oven as soon as everyone arrived. Madge was model beautiful - a tall, slender girl with ringlets of blond hair framing powder-blue eyes in a heart-shaped face. She was in complete physical contrast to Gale, who, in addition to being several inches taller than her, was of an olive complexion, dark hair and eyes that were a clear, penetrating grey color. Sometimes Peeta wondered how she tolerated Gale's primitive ways. But he knew why. He was a handsome guy who, under his rough demeanor, was really madly in love with her. "This is a nice spread, Peet. You outdid yourself this time," she said.

"For Katniss," chuckled Gale around a mouthful of Doritos, the crumbs landing on his pants and the rug.

"Why are you at him anyway? I think it's sweet he's trying to impress her. Wouldn't hurt you to try a little harder either, stud." Madge straightened Peeta's Panem United team jersey as she went to the refrigerator and grabbed two Coronas, handing one each to Peeta and Gale. "Here, drink this and chill out."

"Ah, that's a good wench!" exclaimed Gale as he tried swatting her backside but Madge, who was used to the her boyfriend's touchy ways, slipped easily out of his grasp and stood next to Peeta. "She'll be impressed, you'll see," she said reassuringly. Peeta gave her a half-smile and blushed up to his hairline. This was an old conversation between the three of them - Peeta Mellark's epic crush on Katniss Everdeen, his long-time friend and the one girl whose attention he couldn't catch. Women paid attention to his classic good looks - blond hair and dreamy, deep blue eyes that were rare in their intensity. The only girl he couldn't seem to captivate was the girl he most desired.

He'd practically grown up with her but though they'd always hung out with the same group of friends, he'd never gotten the nerve to ask her out on a real date. The truth was, Katniss intimidated him. She was real - a girl with substance who had zero tolerance for bullshit. She'd had a rough life - having to take care of her younger sister when her father died and her mother lost it - and this made her strong and self-reliant in a way other girls he knew were not.

They had all been friends forever but only Gale and Madge knew the way he really felt about Katniss. Every time they found themselves in the same social situation with Katniss and Peeta, they both hoped that the time would finally come for the two of them to figure it out. And Peeta almost had his chance - four years ago. But a last minute goal put an end to all that.

Gale softened his tone. "I'm just kidding with him. He's nervous as hell." At that moment, the doorbell rang, but before Peeta could get the door, Gale called out, "Come in!"

Peeta threw daggers at him with his eyes while Gale chuckled. Peeta wanted to actually _open_ the door for her. One look at his friend told him Gale knew he was messing with Peeta's head. He momentarily toyed with the idea of dropping tabasco sauce in Gale's beer. Luckily, it was Thresh and Rue, carrying bags of beer and chips.

"Yeah, there's room in the refrigerator," said Peeta to Thresh's unspoken question. Rue kissed his cheek before kicking off her shoes and dropping down next to Gale to throw her arms around him. "How's my favorite giant?" she laughed before taking the beer Thresh brought for her. Gale clearly adored Rue and didn't mind her mussing up his hair at all. Peeta made to close the door but stopped when he realized that Finnick, Annie and Katniss were just coming up the stairs. He waved at Finnick, trying not to stare too long at Katniss as she spoke easily with Annie.

Peeta tried his best to be casual as he greeted everyone but he felt the heat rush to his ears as Katniss, who was normally rather serious, gave him one of her rare, high wattage smiles. If she seemed amazing to him before, she became radiant now - her hair was swept to the side in a long, tidy, dark brown braid, and she wore very little makeup - she didn't need it. She had eyes as striking as Gale's and the same hair but her olive tone was more luminous than his.

"I like your shirt," he managed to croak out without stuttering.

She looked down at the navy blue Panem United team jersey. "I'm wearing number 10," she said, turning around to show him the name of the team captain, Boggs. "Just like you." She pointed at his shirt.

Peeta's face lit up. "I guess we know who we're betting on."

At that moment, Finnick walked over and clapped Peeta on the back. "Prepare to lose your cash, mate. This game's in the bag and Panem United is going down. F.C. Capitol is going to send them packing."

"Bug off, Finnick," said Katniss. "Peeta and I are going to clean all of you out." She threaded her arm through Peeta's, which made every nerve ending on his skin explode from the contact. Her skin really was as soft as he imagined and it drove him to distraction.

"Now, the last time you both said that, you know how the game ended. Penalty goal by France in overtime sent Panem home with a 2-1 loss," Annie said with that precise way she had of dropping a perfect stat in the middle of a conversation. She was a petite redhead with such a sweet look, no one would ever guess what a rabid soccer fan she really was. She was on the inside what Finnick, her fiance, was on the outside - a devilishly witty, clever girl with a lust for laughter and a good time.

"That was four years ago. Panem United is a more organized, hardened team with their new coach, Seneca Crane. They also won the Cup of the Americas this year and they have possibly the best goalie in the league. They have a real chance of winning this one," Katniss said.

"Don't forget Cato Anderson and Mitchell Bay, who have been brilliant in this tournament," Peeta added. The four of them continued their banter but all the while Katniss didn't let go of Peeta's arm and even pulled him along as she made her way with Annie and Finnick to the snack table. Peeta had been so caught up by the totality of Katniss Everdeen that he forgot about the buns and potato skins warming in the oven. When he saw them on the table, he mouthed "thank you" to Madge, who just winked at him over Katniss' shoulder.

Meanwhile, Katniss' beautiful grey eyes grew wide at the sight of the baked treats. "I love cheese buns! Are these from your parent's bakery?" She looked up at Peeta in delight as she popped one in her mouth.

"No. I made them. I remembered you liked them," he said before he could catch himself. With no way to recover his very revealing gaffe, he simply reached over and placed three more on a plate. "Here." He smiled winningly, in the hopes of appearing unfazed.

Katniss looked at him with such intensity that he completely lost his train of thought and forgot where he was. At that moment, the official song of the World Cup blared through the home theater speakers, breaking the spell. Peeta's living room was large and he'd dropped a lot of money on his new sectional so everyone sprawled out to watch the national hymns being sung. Peeta hung back, hoping to nonchalantly score a spot next to Katniss but she relieved him of his hesitation by sitting down and patting the spot next to her.

"Come on. We have a bet to defend," she quipped, turning to chat with Rue to her left.

"I'm going to enjoy taking your money tonight, team Panem," said Finnick, practically rubbing his hands together. His green eyes twinkled with humor as he egged Katniss on.

"Don't listen to him, Katniss. He'll be digging quarters out of his sofa to pay us up," Peeta retorted, flicking Finnick off as he said so, which just made Finnick laugh harder.

Katniss turned her attention to the kick-off, her hand landing seemingly as an afterthought on Peeta's denim-covered knee, the heat of her hand seeping through the tough fabric. With a feeling of intense excitement, he lay his large hand over hers, which she did not withdraw during the entire game, except to fetch a snack or swear angrily at the tv.

**XXXXX**

The whistle blew on the end of the 90 minutes. Tied. 1-1. There would be four minutes of overtime.

"Don't let this be a repeat of 2010! I won't be able to deal with it," Katniss said dejectedly.

Peeta handed her another beer which she took with a small, grateful smile. "All that smack talk and we're back down to the last minute again." He looked at her meaningfully, wondering if she remembered that night or if he had only dreamed the moment.

Katniss glanced at him, then looked back at the screen before answering, "I hope they don't let the moment pass them by this time." She continued to watch the game with fierce concentration but Peeta's heart jumped in his chest. As Brutus sets up the pass, Peeta took her hand and squeezed it. Anderson crossed an impossible kick to Bey, who leapt up in the air, the ball connecting with his head. Everyone in the living room jumped up as the ball skimmed the tips of F.C. Capitol's goalie and flew with decisive vengeance into the corner of the net, giving Panem United the winning goal of the game.

It was pandemonium in the stadium and in Peeta's apartment as everyone screamed in amazement. The air was full of the sound of vuvuzelas, whistles and the latin guest commentator drowning all of his Anglo colleagues with a deafening

"_GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!" _

Peeta and Katniss were the loudest, screaming and punching the air as they turned to each other. Then, without realizing how or why, they were in each other's arms, their lips crashing into each others in a kiss that seemed to unravel all the years of pent up longing and frustration into long ribbons of relief. Peeta kissed her like he had only ever dreamed, a kiss that involved every pore of his being, from his hand on her face to the arm that wound around her waist to pin her to him. He held her with an intoxicating combination of reverence and possessiveness, as if he had finally captured his trophy and was determined that no one would ever take it from him again.

It was an eternity before Peeta realized the room had gone silent except for the roar of the crowd from the television. Leaning away from Katniss, he looked around to gauge the reaction of their friends and determine whether he should jump from the fire escape now or later. Madge was nodding her head while Finnick and Annie wore a matching set of the biggest shit-eating grins he'd ever seen in his life. Gale was smirking and ribbing Thresh, whose eyes had gone wide with the sight of them full-on making out right in front of the flat screen television. And finally, the coup de grace was Rue, her hands folded in front of her with hearts practically falling out of her eyes.

"I…" began Katniss, unsure of what she should say when Peeta sprang into action.

"Okay, everyone, game over! Thanks for coming by." He picked up the cheese tray and six pack in one arm and opened the door of his apartment, to everyone's shock. "Great game, everyone! Time to go home!"

"Whoa, what? There are still the post-game highlights!" exclaimed Gale in disbelief.

"No, there aren't," said Madge sternly. "We'll go to my place."

"But…" Thresh looked around in disbelief, his hands indicating all of the alcohol on the table. "I don't even have a buzz!"

Rue tightened her lips and hissed loudly. "Don't be a big baby!" she spat. "They're gonna get busy now! Let's go!" She pulled Thresh's meaty arm as she stood. "We are outta here!"

Annie jumped up and gave Katniss a big hug. "Have fun!" Peeta swore he could hear her squeeing as she pulled Finnick toward the door. He stopped to grab the beer from Peeta and pass the cheese platter to Annie. "Winning goal in overtime! Amazing game!" He roared with laughter as he followed a still protesting Gale out the door.

"But...Aw, damn!" Gale continued to grouse loudly on the steps as Madge hurled an indistinct string of epithets and probably a kick at him.

Peeta shut the door but at the last moment, Madge ran back inside to grab the bottle of Jagermeister. "He's gonna need it if he misses the highlights." She waggled her eyebrows at them before sprinting out the door, shutting it behind her.

Katniss stood in the middle of the now empty living room, the cheers from the television behind her piercing the still air. She looked at Peeta, who was leaning against the apartment door, trying to catch his breath as spoke.

"Do you remember Panem United vs. France, 2010? Game was heading into the last two minutes with the score at 1-0 in Panem's favor and we were sure, absolutely without a shadow of a doubt sure, that they were going to win. Do you remember what happened?"

Katniss nodded, and Peeta saw the echo of that night flash in her eyes. The pub. the whoops of victory. There was no way France was going to win it in two minutes. It had been pure euphoria.

Peeta continued. "We were counting it down. You turned to me, and it was like a movie. Everything happened in slow motion and I picked you up because there were literally three seconds left in the match." He leaned off the door, walking slowly towards her. Katniss' eyes widened briefly with anxiety but she held her ground before his clear intent.

"You picked me up and spun me around," Katniss whispered as Peeta continued his approach. "We were convinced it would be the night that Panem United took the Cup for the first time ever."

"God, I'd never been so close to you in all the years I'd known you. Your eyes were on fire. I would have missed the sound of the whistle, that's how far gone I was." He stopped in front of her, his face mere inches from hers.

"And then there were screams because France landed a goal with one second left of overtime," Katniss said. She closed her eyes when he brought his hand up to move a strand of her hair out of the way. The sound of the television faded behind him and all that was left was his hand on her hair and his voice as he spoke.

"And just like that, the moment was gone. Panem United and France went into penalty kicks after that and Panem lost 2-1. I put you down to watch them lose." Peeta's eyes raked her face hungrily, and he could see she was having trouble concentrating under the intensity of his gaze..

"The biggest last minute upset in soccer history," Katniss said breathlessly.

"I've been waiting four years to get back to that moment." Peeta's voice was now husky, his hand dropping down to her waist and he was sure the heat he felt for her would leave a burn mark where his hand rested against her skin.

"I didn't think it was real," she said as she brought one hand up to skim the blond hairs of his forearm.

"It was real for me." He closed his eyes and took in the scent of her. "It's always been real for me."

"Always?" she said with some surprise, his admission clearly catching her off guard. "I didn't think you were interested in that way."

His eyes opened, though they remained hooded, for he couldn't fully shake himself from the spell she'd put him under. "I've always been interested in you in that way."

Katniss looked at him with eyes rounded in apology. "I never knew."

"That's because you weren't paying attention. And I was too shy to say anything."

Katniss' lips curled into the sexiest half-smile he'd ever seen. "We've been passing the ball all this time, playing off-sides..."

"When we should have been trying for the goal shot." Peeta lowered his head to her lips and nipped at the corners of her mouth. Katniss let out a gasp at the touch of his lips against hers and it was all the encouragement he needed. He moved his lips over her soft, full ones and kissed her half-open mouth, sinking into a kiss that was softer and more voluptuous than anything he could ever imagine. The taste of her wet mouth, the feeling of her tongue, set him aflame and suddenly, he wanted to cover every inch of her all at once. The urge was so overpowering, he had to break the kiss and rest his forehead against hers to get control of himself again.

"I get so worked up around you," he groaned. "You have no idea the effect you have on me. I want you in every possible way."

Katniss laughed huskily. "Then take me already. We've waited long enough."

Peeta smiled, his blue eyes twinkling. Without warning, he picked Katniss up over his shoulder, causing her to yelp in shock and carried her directly to his bedroom. With a firm kick, he shut the door behind him and set her down near the bed. Katniss, who was breathless with laughter and surprise, became very serious when she saw the intense look of hunger he gave her. Everything lit up inside of him until he was sure he'd burn to ash on the spot. There was no way for him to control it - he'd spent too long fantasizing about her, longing for her - that he felt he could devour her with one stroke. Yet he wanted to linger over her, to make her want him the way he wanted her at this moment.

Katniss broke through his hesitation by running her hands under his team jersey, letting her fingers skim over the hills and valleys of his muscles before tearing it over his head, the thin material fluttering down to the ground where she flung it. As her lips traversed the surface of his hard chest and erect, rigid nipples, her hands moved over the button of his jeans, opening them and pressing them down past his hips, leaving him in only his boxers, which tented over his freed erection.

Peeta didn't think he could become more aroused but the act of being undressed by her, of her hands, hands he had only dreamed about, running over his skin made him furious with need. He pulled off her clothes, holding her to him so that he could feel her hardened nipples against his chest and kissed her until her lips were swollen. He pushed her onto the bed, staring at her glorious body for the first time, watching her as she clenched her legs together to relieve herself of the pressure that he knew she must feel.

Climbing over her, he palmed her breasts, worrying her dusky nipples with his thumbs. "I want to go down on you. I want you to come in my mouth and then I want to fuck you. Hard."

Katniss whimpered as he lowered his head to suck on both of her breasts, her back arching against the pressure his mouth. She pulled hard on his hair, holding him to her where she wanted his attention. He took both of her perfectly rounded breasts in his hands and kneaded them gently, laving her chest and stomach with kisses, drinking in the taste of her. Her skin was satin beneath his lips and he had a mad urge to bite her, an urge he tempered with a nip on her belly, which made her shudder beneath him.

"I've wanted you for so long, Peeta," she whispered as he gently opened her legs. He stopped and looked up at her in shock.

"Really?" he said but she laughed, tugging his head where she wanted him to go.

"Don't stop!" She ran her fingers over herself. "I'm so wet - don't make me wait any longer."

Her words sent electricity down his spine and he captured the fingers she used to touch herself, putting them in his mouth, tasting her for the first time. She moaned as he sucked her fingers before releasing them to dip his head between her legs. He licked her folds, first gently, then with insistence as her musky flavor overwhelmed him.

"You taste so good," he said against her clit so that she called out from the vibration he sent through her.

"Peeta! God, you're so good at this!" She laughed breathlessly as he dove into her with his tongue, holding down her hips when she arched her back from the sensation of his onslaught. She was beautiful to watch. He carefully slipped a finger inside of her, his lips finding the hard nub of her desire and engulfing it. At first he flicked it gently before sucking on it, his second finger slipping inside of her as he began to pump her.

"I want you to come hard for me," he said as he applied pressure to her clit and watched her climb, watched her face get lost in the sensation of the coil tightening in her body, a coil he controlled with his mouth and his hands. Her breaths came in pants and she reached down to grab his hair, guiding him in the rhythm that would undo her. When she fell apart, he was mesmerized by the wave of pleasure that pushed through her body. He took all of her, every last spasm of release that she gave him until she was soft and spent in his hands. He rained gentle kisses along the insides of her thighs and flat stomach as he made his way up her body and lay next to her, watching her eyes roll back with satiation.

"You realize I'm not done with you, yet," he said as he pulled her to him.

She positively purred against his chest. "I certainly hope not." She pulled him down and kissed him, wrapping her legs around his waist so that his cock, still imprisoned by his boxers, rubbed against her moist center. She shook her head at this.

"This won't do," she said as she used her small feet to hook his boxers with her toes and slid them down over his waist.

"Shit, you're like a spider monkey." He laughed as he ground into her folds, bathing it with her slick moisture.

"You have no idea," she said cryptically and his mind was filled with all kinds of images of her feet doing insane things to him that made his cock twitch impatiently.

"Show me later?" he whimpered as she closed her legs so that his legs were on either side of her and his cock was trapped between her wet folds and slick, firm thighs.

"Yes. But right now, move," she ordered. He buckled his hips, the feeling of his cock gliding in the tightly enclosed space of her lips was so different from any sensation he'd had up to that moment. It was like he was inside of her but not really and the angle of his movement stimulated her clit directly, making her more frenzied as she clenched her thighs together. She gripped his hips to keep him in place even though all he wanted was to be inside of her. This tension between controlling his motion, all the while wanting to enter her, aroused him even more. He leaned on his forearms, moving his hips in a steady pace that took all of his concentration to maintain, while her lips ran over his neck and chin, biting and nipping him. She finally captured his lips again, kissing him furiously until he moaned with the delirium created by her wet mouth.

He moved against her, holding her head as he kissed her. The tell-tale tightening in his balls told him he was close but he wanted to feel her around him. He pulled back and swiftly dug into the end table, pulling out a silver foil that he ripped open with his teeth. Sheathing himself with the condom, he opened her legs, fondling her opening with his fingers before taking himself in hand and slowly pushed himself inside of her.

"You are so tight," he gritted as he pulled out and entered again. Her grey eyes, heavy with lust and desire, widened as he sunk his entire length inside of her. She squirmed beneath him for a moment as she adjusted to his size before grabbing his ass and pulled him towards her. He gasped at the way her muscles clenched around him, massaging his shaft as he entered her.

"Bossy, aren't you?" he laughed as he let her lead him.

"I want what I want," she breathed in his ear as she sucked on his earlobe. He ran his hands over her thighs as he slowly took over the rhythm, his thrusts becoming more insistent as he felt himself climbing, her own muscles beginning to flutter around him. Katniss held his gaze as her body began to unravel beneath him and when she came, she dropped her head back and screamed, "Peeta!" The sound of his name on her lips as she panted out her orgasm became too much and he let himself go also, crying out against her hair, his body trembling as he emptied himself.

When the last of the tremors subsided, he slid out of her and lay next to her supple body. He deftly removed the condom and discarded it in the wastebasket near the bed, then took Katniss and pulled her towards him. He could tell she was sated by the way her body seemed made of warm dough in his hands - soft, warm and spent in his arms. He was in a paradise he never could have imagined and wanted to hold her and never let her go. He kept the intensity of this feeling to himself, as he didn't want to frighten her but he resolved, in that moment, to make it his mission in life to make sure she never wanted to leave again.

As he breathed in the smell of her, now mixed with his own sweat and sex, she tilted her head back. "Peeta, do you think we could maybe not wait four years to do this again?" She was flippant but there was a vulnerability in her eyes that she had hidden from him with her bravado in bed.

He gave her a deep kiss, debating on whether to respond with something clever of his own but decided to take a chance.

"Why don't you just stay forever?" he said, holding his breath. He had placed all his bets on this - all or nothing - and he waited for her response.

She snuggled in deeper against him and yawned against his chest. "Okay. I'll stay."

**XXXXX**

**I just had to write something for World Cup fever! I changed a few things from the originally posted story, most notably some small errors in formatting that got away from me.**

**Thanks to my dynamic beta duo, Solasvioletta and Bubblegum1425 for their editing superpowers.**

**Many thanks also to the organizers of the Write-Me-a-Story Hunger Games Challenge for the prompt and to RoNordmann for the lovely banner. For more information on this challenge, visit wmashchallenge at tumblr dot com.**


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